May 3, 1999
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
contact: Dennis Neal Vaughn
National/local 773.525.4559
The 2nd Annual Chicago Alt.film Fest fills slate
with over 35 American Films.
June 9 - 13, 1999, Chicago, Illinois
Chicago– “The 1999 Chicago Alt.Film
Fest has invited 16 feature films, 5
documentaries, and 16 short subjects, from a record 400 plus submissions,
to compete at our second annual festival,” Dennis Neal Vaughn,
Chicago Alt.film Fest founder/executive director announced today.
“Of these films seven are World premieres and two are North
American premieres, with all other selections being Chicago premieres.
The fest will also present a program of original short films and
music videos by students from Cabrini Connection, the not-for-profit
organization that provides life-changing solutions for children
who live in educationally disadvantaged environments.”
The Chicago Alt.film Fest runs June 9 - 13, 1999
with screenings held at the Harold Washington Library Center, lower
level, 400 S. State Street, Chicago. The festival kicks off at 6:30
pm with the world premiere of “Love 101.” The 1999 festival
is presented by Absolut¨ Citron.
“The Chicago Alt.film Fest debuted in June of 1998 to fill
a void in Chicago
which previously had no single film festival devoted to American
independent films,” states Vaughn. The Chicago Alt.film Fest
showcases independently produced, narrative feature films, shorts,
and documentaries by American filmmakers by providing a venue for
exhibition, discussion, and education. The Chicago Alt.film
Fest promotes work of original vision and voice, encourages the
development of film at all levels, and seeks to create events that
reach out through film to a larger community. In bringing together
and presenting the best of independent cinema today the Chicago
Alt.film Fest allows audiences and the industry to discover emerging
filmmakers and provides the opportunity to support the vital medium
of film.
In conjunction with the Chicago premiere screening at the festival
of the
James Redford produced documentary on organ donors and recipients,
“The Kindness of Strangers,” a special luncheon will be
held in the Winter Garden of the library. The luncheon will benefit
the Walter Payton Foundation, The James Redford Institute, and the
Alt.film Foundation. Former Chicago Bears football star Mr. Walter
Payton will attend as gust of honor along with appearances
by a number of political, celebrity and sports guests. Mr Payton
suffers from the same illness as two-time liver recipient Mr. James
Redford.
Award categories for the festival are: Jury awards for the Absolut¨
Best
Feature, along with Best Short, Best Documentary, Best Director,
Best
Screenplay, Best Cinematography, The Screen Actors Guild Acting
Awards for Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Debut Performance,
as well as the Panavision Founders Award to the most promising Midwest
filmmaker.
“Overall, the number of strong works submitted were way up
this year,”
commented Vaughn. “The festivals agenda of programming quality
films over quantity made selection difficult. A wide range of films
and sensibilities
have been scheduled that truly cover the gamut of the current independent
market. Works range from high budgeted feature films with name casts
to
inventive, boot-strap filmmaking that uses creative techniques and
unexpected means to make effective films.”